Detroit Pistons: What Impact Will Jodie Meeks’ Return Have?
By Adam McGee
With only three wins from their first 22 games, the Detroit Pistons need all the help they can get. Hence, it’s no surprise that the return of free agent signing Jodie Meeks from injury is currently causing such a buzz in the Motor City.
Meeks is no superstar, but at the moment Pistons fans would likely even settle for just a different, more competitive look to the team.
Meeks was signed by Detroit this summer as one of a group of players who were brought in to help improve the team’s three-point shooting.
Having injured himself in the preseason, Meeks is yet to get the chance to impact that side of the Pistons’ play personally, but the team has improved on that front this season, at least in terms of percentage anyway.
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Last season, Detroit ranked 29th in the NBA with a three-point percentage of 32.1, while so far this season the Pistons have made 33.1 percent of their attempts from deep, good enough to see them rise up to 21st in the league.
The problem with that is that 33.1 percent is still a below average mark for three-pointers, and aside from making them, Stan Van Gundy had bigger intentions for the three-point shot’s role as part of his offense.
Having inherited a team that was top heavy in terms of big men, the threat of the three-pointer was going to be just as important as the shots falling at a high rate. The biggest problem the Pistons had last season was the congestion that they created for themselves in and around the paint.
With his free agent signings, Van Gundy looked to remedy that problem, yet it hasn’t quite come to fruition just yet.
Two of the team’s best three-point shooters this season have been Kyle Singler and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, while of the new signings it’s only really Caron Butler who has made an impression from deep. D.J. Augustin has made only 25.4 percent of his long shots, while Cartier Martin is even worse off at 22.2 percent.
This leaves a heavy onus on Meeks, but he has shown himself to be capable throughout his career. For his five years in the league, Meeks averages 37.6 percent from deep, and he’s actually coming to the Motor City off his career best shooting season.
With the Lakers last year, Meeks made 40.1 percent of his three-point attempts, exactly the type of shooting that would help the Pistons to space the floor out.
Of course, it’s likely going to take time for the 27-year-old to get himself back up to full speed too, but the Pistons believe he’s close to a return. Stan Van Gundy told the Detroit Free Press:
"We’re at a stretch now where hopefully Jodie will practice tomorrow and Thursday … and then we’ll see where he is for the weekend.More likely next week, but we’ll see. We’ll see how he gets through practice tomorrow and where he’s at on Thursday. We’ll just sort of play it by ear."
Detroit will want to be sure not to rush him back, risking any chance of further injury, but even just his presence, being back fit and healthy should be a welcome boost to the Pistons locker room.